Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Coldness penetrates my chest, and I gently shake my head, desperately wishing there was some way I could give him what he needs. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, sitting up and cupping the side of his sharp jaw. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot these past few days, and I wondered if perhaps you’d be comfortable with me dealing with it myself? If you intend to hold on to me, then I will be facing these women for the rest of my life, and I want to send a message that I can’t be broken, that they can’t come at me without consequences. I know this is a betrayal for you that needs to be handled, but it’s also a direct attack against me, and if you come sweeping in as my hero, saving the day, they’ll never respect me as the woman who stands at your side. They think I’m weak, Killian, and I need to prove that I’m more than just some broken woman. I need to make my stand.”
“And how do you intend to do that?”
“That’s the part I haven’t exactly worked out.”
“You need to work it out fast, Angel,” he tells me. “My patience is wearing thin.”
“Promise.”
With that, he’s gone, leaving me here wondering how the hell I’m supposed to retaliate in a way that both serves justice for what Monica did to me and her betrayal against Killian, while also being a punishment that I can bear the weight of. And without even needing to truly consider it, I know it’s an impossible task because the only acceptable form of punishment Killian will deem acceptable is death.
22
CHIARA
Staring out the window of the grand library on the top floor, a stupid smile cuts across my face seeing Killian’s SUV barreling down the long driveway. It’s officially been six days since the gala, and while the memories of that night still haunt me, the bruises have finally begun to fade, and I can move around with ease. It also means he’s been fucking me more freely, and that’s always a bonus. He’s not someone who enjoys giving up control, but the days he lets me take the reins are the days I could drown in his ecstasy.
The SUV has barely come to a stop when I make my way out of the library. It’s a hike to get all the way down to the ground floor, and by the time I’m in the lobby, I’ve already missed him.
Glancing around, I try to search for a clue as to where he’s gone, when I give up and look to Rohan, the doorman. We don’t exactly have a lot in common, and he’s a man of few words, making it hard to form any sort of friendship, but he’s always kind, and that’s all a girl can ask for. Though, he insisted on calling me ma’am for the first few weeks, and it’s taken me up until now to break the habit. “Did you see which way he went?”
“He took off to the left. Perhaps he’s in his office.”
“Thanks,” I say, whipping myself around to the left of the stairs.
I weave through the corridors, proud of myself for learning how to navigate this maze—unlike the maze outside that I will never attempt again. I’ve been stuck on the how to punish Monica for her crimes train for two straight days, and I’m almost ready to admit defeat. The best I could come up with was a public beating like some kind of gladiator performance.
Killian claimed this world is ruled on the basis of an eye for an eye, and so I figured if she beat me in front of the other wives, then the equivalent would be for me to beat her in front of . . . Well, I don’t really know who, but I don’t think I care. I just want this shit over. Though there’s no point even suggesting the idea. Killian won’t accept a mere beating as punishment for betraying his loyalty. I was humiliated in front of everyone, made to appear weak, and a beating in return is nothing in comparison. I need to discover what Monica takes most pride in and exploit it. I want to ruin her, and it needs to be done in a way that she will never recover from.
The pressure from Killian to give a name has been getting worse, and soon enough, he’ll snap. I don’t mean to take so long, and I wish there were some way we could both get what we want, but it’s becoming crystal clear there’s not. He warned me though. He told me he was a callous monster and doubted that I could stomach what this world requires of him, but I’m choosing to see the good in him, and that’s on me. Besides, the moment I open my mouth, everything gets worse. Monica and Sergiu won’t stand for it, and honestly, the threat Sergiu gave that first time he came into my room hasn’t been forgotten. If I even think about telling Killian, he will return every night, and what he does to me will pale in comparison.